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karareynoldsauthor's review
3.0
TW: SA and alcoholism ⚠️
1. Beautiful cover art!!!
2. We need more fantasy that features selkies. I LOVE selkies. I have a selkie tattoo. The lore is incredible. So much potential for stories.
1. Beautiful cover art!!!
2. We need more fantasy that features selkies. I LOVE selkies. I have a selkie tattoo. The lore is incredible. So much potential for stories.
dannycakez8808's review
3.0
3.5 Stars
Trigger warnings for- suicide, abuse, rape, addiction
I always find myself drawn to books that have ocean themes. The cover of this is absolutely stunning and the diversity/culture of the city of Inara is vivid and well written. This book and the concept really had the potential to be amazing. Unfortunately, I did think it lacked some aspects of the world building and felt a little rushed at times. Either way, it was a compelling story with some dark themes so don't pick this up thinking it should be taken lightly.
Arc Provided by Parliment Press for Review
Trigger warnings for- suicide, abuse, rape, addiction
I always find myself drawn to books that have ocean themes. The cover of this is absolutely stunning and the diversity/culture of the city of Inara is vivid and well written. This book and the concept really had the potential to be amazing. Unfortunately, I did think it lacked some aspects of the world building and felt a little rushed at times. Either way, it was a compelling story with some dark themes so don't pick this up thinking it should be taken lightly.
Arc Provided by Parliment Press for Review
bebopthebunny's review
1.0
I bought this for the cover...I have regrets. The book is just terrible, the girl Tris is painfully awkward to read about and I cringed about every other word. You know exactly where the story is going the moment you start reading. Everything is completely predictable from a mile away. Then for the cherry on top you got the main character who is incredibly bland, incredibly awkward, and in every way a cliche. She has an insta-love moment which she follows up with by being just incredibly rude and nasty to for no discernible reason. There is the obvious abuse and rape tossed in, the love triangle, the soulmate gimmick, the girl who is nothing special thing, and the relentless 'tension' the author tries to build but there is no tension because we all know exactly what is going on. That last one bothers me the most. You got the author who is trying to build a tension over things left unsaid...but here is the thing, you don't have to say them because it is so abundantly clear what the answer is in the first place. All anyone has to do is have a conversation longer than two seconds and the entire plot, all of the 'secretes', and mystery would be flushed out. It would take all of two minutes to just have one straightforward conversation about anything going on and the book would have been all of ten pages long. Just a really terrible book but a really pretty cover.
ania_star's review against another edition
4.0
Tristaine is living a hard life. Her brother married and moved away, her mother left and the only person left to take care of her drunken father is her. No matter how many times Sloan, her brother offers, she can't seem to move. It's not just because of her father, it's because she has to be near the sea. It calls to her.
It all comes to head, when her father sells her to the Lord, who she hates, for money. Feeling helpless she turns to sea and jumps off the cliff.
What should have been the end, it's only the start. She is saved and taken to a whole new world, where she discovered her heritage and the meaning of love and trust.
Joining the see is only the start of an incredible adventure, full of new love, friendship, and also betrayal and loss.
I was blown away by the story. In the beginning, I didn't have high hopes for it, but few pages in, it sucked me in and it was very hard to stop reading. :)
I like Tristaine's character, she is full of flaws, but somehow is still very likable. I was rooting for her happy ending. My other favorite is Ember. No spoilers why, though. :)
I love all things paranormal, but fae of any kind, is at the top of a list and I loved the way authors took a unique take on it.
received from Xpresso Book Tours
It all comes to head, when her father sells her to the Lord, who she hates, for money. Feeling helpless she turns to sea and jumps off the cliff.
What should have been the end, it's only the start. She is saved and taken to a whole new world, where she discovered her heritage and the meaning of love and trust.
Joining the see is only the start of an incredible adventure, full of new love, friendship, and also betrayal and loss.
I was blown away by the story. In the beginning, I didn't have high hopes for it, but few pages in, it sucked me in and it was very hard to stop reading. :)
I like Tristaine's character, she is full of flaws, but somehow is still very likable. I was rooting for her happy ending. My other favorite is Ember. No spoilers why, though. :)
I love all things paranormal, but fae of any kind, is at the top of a list and I loved the way authors took a unique take on it.
received from Xpresso Book Tours
inkslinger's review against another edition
3.0
ARC provided by Parliament House Press, Jamie Webster, and M. Dalto via Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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I tasted salt, and brine, and the ocean breeze.
I tasted the sunlight on the waves, and the shadows of the undertow.
And beneath it all, I tasted magic.
I tasted power.""
06-20: I'm always drawn to stories that are linked to the sea in some way. So, it was only natural that when I spotted 'Arms of the Ocean' by Jamie Webster and M. Dalto, that I'd be curious about it.
Centering around Tristaine, a young woman left as the only caretaker for a drunken father, the story is a bitter one.
Sloane, her brother, is married and long gone from their childhood home, visiting briefly and infrequently. Their family abandoned by her mother when she was only five years old, Tris barely has memory of her and her days are filled with her father's needs. Her only peace, her only true happiness.. comes from the moments she spends at the edges of the sea.
When something unthinkable happens, she makes an irrevocable decision.. but the sea has other plans for her. Soon, she's drawn into a world she never could have imagined. A world filled with love and loss, honor and betrayal, and secrets she never saw coming.
I feel like this is a good book that had the potential for greatness. I don't know if what held it back was the result of the authors working together, or if that was actually a strength. But someone has a lot of potential.
From a creative standpoint, the concepts are interesting. They play both with established themes known in the fantasy genre and utilize some of their own, more unique elements.
The world-building, while not expansive, is definitely intriguing and they definitely left themselves the possibility to continue telling this story in the future. While I didn't love it, I did enjoy it and I'd absolutely pick up a sequel if they were to release one.
Imriel however.. I did love. Read the book, you'll see why. Nyx and Loch also deserve special mention. Loch is certainly the book's main source of humor, but he's not one-dimensional at all.
There are things I think could have been done better. Could be in the future, if the authors do another book.
Throughout the story, there are numerous dramatic moments. Some more emotional, some more physical. Some are beautiful and some are brutal. But I didn't really feel any of them. I felt as if someone was telling me a story with hazy recollection.. through a soft lens.
What I mean by that is.. the approach to these moments is almost romanticized. Even the violence comes across as sort of dreamy instead of vivid. It lacks immersion for me.. and therefore any real sense of what the characters are feeling. Yes, we're told how they're feeling. Shown, sort of.. but like on an old tv with a breakdown of realism between us and the characters.
Anyway, that's a matter of preference. The book is still well-written, the story unravels slowly and precisely. The authors telegraph some things a little too clearly and very early on by over-emphasizing the foreshadowing, but it's still worth the read.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | KOBO | PARLIAMENT HOUSE PRESS
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06-19: Finished! Review to come.. :)
06-18: Starting this one today. Seems to be an ocean themed week.. and I can't be unhappy about that..
metalheadreader's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to The Parliament House Press and the author for the arc to review!
Trigger warnings for this book: depression, suicide, abuse, sexual content, addiction
Arms of the Ocean is the story of 19 year old Tristaine, who's family life is rather bleak. Her mother abandoned the family, leaving Tris to care for her alcoholic father. Her brother Sloane is married and long gone from the family, and barely visits.
Tristaine's only true solace and happiness is the moments she spends near the ocean. The sea calls to her, and is the only thing keeping her tethered to the place she lives. But when her father makes a horrible decision, everything Tris holds dear is threatened. Distraught and desperate to stay with the sea, Tris attempts to take her own life.
But the sea has other plans for Tristaine. Soon she finds herself brought into the underwater world of Inra, a world full of things she could have never imagined.
So that plot summary is a bit vague, because I don't want to spoil anything! This book intrigued me just based on the synopsis. It drew me in quickly, and the intrigue and creativity kept me hooked. It was interesting, especially once we got to Inra. I think the worldbuilding was good, but could have used a bit more detail. Also, I feel like I should mention that this is definitely a more mature book, which I didn't realize going in. That's okay with me, but I know that it's got some subjects that could be triggering for some people. I think there's great potential for more books in this world, and I hope we get a sequel or continuation. I really enjoyed this magical world and all the interesting plot elements! Again, being vague, but I definitely think you need to read it for yourself if you're a fantasy fan, and if you like unique takes on fantasy stories! I enjoyed so many aspects of this book, and while it's not perfect, I think it was a really interesting and compelling read! I liked the romance, the action, and all the twists and turns! I definitely recommend it if you're comfortable with the trigger warnings!
Trigger warnings for this book: depression, suicide, abuse, sexual content, addiction
Arms of the Ocean is the story of 19 year old Tristaine, who's family life is rather bleak. Her mother abandoned the family, leaving Tris to care for her alcoholic father. Her brother Sloane is married and long gone from the family, and barely visits.
Tristaine's only true solace and happiness is the moments she spends near the ocean. The sea calls to her, and is the only thing keeping her tethered to the place she lives. But when her father makes a horrible decision, everything Tris holds dear is threatened. Distraught and desperate to stay with the sea, Tris attempts to take her own life.
But the sea has other plans for Tristaine. Soon she finds herself brought into the underwater world of Inra, a world full of things she could have never imagined.
So that plot summary is a bit vague, because I don't want to spoil anything! This book intrigued me just based on the synopsis. It drew me in quickly, and the intrigue and creativity kept me hooked. It was interesting, especially once we got to Inra. I think the worldbuilding was good, but could have used a bit more detail. Also, I feel like I should mention that this is definitely a more mature book, which I didn't realize going in. That's okay with me, but I know that it's got some subjects that could be triggering for some people. I think there's great potential for more books in this world, and I hope we get a sequel or continuation. I really enjoyed this magical world and all the interesting plot elements! Again, being vague, but I definitely think you need to read it for yourself if you're a fantasy fan, and if you like unique takes on fantasy stories! I enjoyed so many aspects of this book, and while it's not perfect, I think it was a really interesting and compelling read! I liked the romance, the action, and all the twists and turns! I definitely recommend it if you're comfortable with the trigger warnings!
sipreadlove's review against another edition
4.0
**TRIGGER WARNING: This book includes sexual assault, rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse, alcohol abuse , and probably some that I am forgetting. Just be warned if you are sensitive to any of these things, please take them into consideration between reading this book.**
Selkie and mermaid legends have always been my favorite things to read. I love a good story about being under the sea and if it’s a romance even better. I will say that I really enjoyed the story in this one. I was transported to the underwater city and was dazzled by how everything was described.
This book was heavy in some spots. There is a lot of trauma that comes along with Tris and Imriel’s own personal stories. There is violence and grief. I did find myself taking breaks here and there to gather myself. However, through the darkness you see their emotions for one another develop. It does seem to escalate quickly, we have a little bit of insta-feelings brewing, but nothing too extreme. I will also mention that the steamy scenes in this book were a lot more steamy than I could have imagined. I wasn’t expecting them to be so BAM, BAM!
This all being said, sometimes I felt like there was a bit of a race to the finish with this book. There were a lot of loose ends, that although they were taken care of, felt rushed. It was satisfying but felt a little overwhelming to read.
Also, I want to take a moment to gush about my love for Loch. He needs his own book, that’s all I am going to say. HE NEEDS HIS OWN BOOK.
Selkie and mermaid legends have always been my favorite things to read. I love a good story about being under the sea and if it’s a romance even better. I will say that I really enjoyed the story in this one. I was transported to the underwater city and was dazzled by how everything was described.
This book was heavy in some spots. There is a lot of trauma that comes along with Tris and Imriel’s own personal stories. There is violence and grief. I did find myself taking breaks here and there to gather myself. However, through the darkness you see their emotions for one another develop. It does seem to escalate quickly, we have a little bit of insta-feelings brewing, but nothing too extreme. I will also mention that the steamy scenes in this book were a lot more steamy than I could have imagined. I wasn’t expecting them to be so BAM, BAM!
This all being said, sometimes I felt like there was a bit of a race to the finish with this book. There were a lot of loose ends, that although they were taken care of, felt rushed. It was satisfying but felt a little overwhelming to read.
Also, I want to take a moment to gush about my love for Loch. He needs his own book, that’s all I am going to say. HE NEEDS HIS OWN BOOK.
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